Press Release
November 12, 2009

Excerpts from Press Conference on ZTE

Q: How many have already signed?

Sen. Gordon: I think about 9 have already signed: Santiago , Estrada, Honasan, Angara , Pangilinan, Lacson, Pimentel, Arroyo and Gordon. Roxas and Aquino have promised to sign after reading it. I have not seen Allan. So long as they sign the committee report, that's all we need. These are very perilous times because we are nearing election period so they have to be careful. So you can see some of those who may not sign are afraid of the elections.

Note: Madrigal, Pia Cayetano and Escudero signed after the press conference.

Q: Some senators are not in favor of Lozada and Joey's inclusion?

Sen. Gordon: That's because they brought them, like Sen. Lacson brought Mr. Lozada and Joey de Venecia. Of course, I am willing to be interpolated on that on the floor and that's the way it is. I am the ponente so I have to look at it the way I see it.

Q: Open to amendment?

Sen. Gordon: It is up to them. But as far as I am concerned, I am going to stand by my recommendation. I explained it to Mr. Lozada this morning on television. I don't know what he said afterwards. But I was very forthright.

Q: Si Joey ang sabi niya in aid of election daw ito?

Sen. Gordon: Maybe for him, not for me.

Sen. Gordon: Significantly, all the major lawyers have signed.

Q: Sabi ng Malacanang and FG camp, wala daw solid evidence against them?

Sen. Gordon: That is their position. And as far as I am concerned, that is why I was very careful that they have to explain at the proper forum, their position on the matter. Because, like I said, they have a lot to answer for. And obviously, if you look at the report very closely, I used their own words. That is a very fair interpretation. Yung sinabi ko kay Lozada, sinabi niya, inamin niya na may permissive at forbidden corruption. Ano yung permissive sa iyo, tinanong ni Sen. Enrile? Basta yung meron ako kahit one percent, or words to that effect. He hanged himself. He made various admissions that nailed him. Ang angal niya bakit hindi hinabol yung mga pulis.

Q: Sabi ni Miriam it's like beating a dead horse, ano pa magagawa, too late in the day na yung committee report?

Sen. Gordon: No, it's not too late in the day. As you know, we came out with Bolante, at hanggang ngayon hindi pa talaga kumikilos ang Ombudsman. It's never too late to reveal something that was wrong so that the public may know kung ano talaga ang pagkakamali nitong mga nakilahok dito sa kontratang ito. Sa totoo lang, kinansel na nga. The proof of the pudding is in the eating. Kinansel ng Presidente, that means talagang may anomalya. Bakit niya kakanselahin kung walang anomalya?

Q: Gaya kay Joc-joc, ano bang nangyari?

Sen. Gordon: May nangyari kay Joc-joc. May malaking dagok kay Joc-joc. Mas malaking dagok pa nga dahil sasabihin ng tao ikaw talaga ang involved diyan. Mas mabuti pa, i-clear nila ang sarili nila sa Ombudsman o sa nararapat na tribunal para malinaw sa tao na sila ay walang kasalanan.

Q: Kelan irereport sa plenary iyan?

Sen. Gordon: As soon as I get Pia and all the others para naman may 11 or 12 tapos ilalabas ko na iyan.

Q: Pwede pa bang mabago, like excluding Lozada and de Venecia?

Sen. Gordon: They can manifest that. If they want to do that, they can do that. If they get the majority, fine. But I'll state my position very clear. Kasama ang mga iyan. We are debating on semantics. This is as state witness that they want them to pursue. Under the law, pwede silang maging state witness. Depende sa prosecution - that they are not the most guilty. Lozada can be a state witness. Pero alam naman ninyo na ang naglalaban diyan sa komisyon ay ang pangkat ni de Venecia at ang pangkat ni Abalos.

Q: Madidiscourage na raw yung mga future whistle-blowers?

Sen. Gordon: Ay hindi. I don't blame them. If that is what they want to say, they can say that. But as far as I am concerned, I am very straightforward. Ang mali , mali ; ang tama, tama. Tama ba yung sasabihin ni Lozada na ayaw ko talagang pumunta, dalhin niyo ako sa Hong Kong, dalhin niyo ko sa ibang lugar? (Cites Lozada's actions to show that he is not a whistleblower) Papaano namang hindi siya kasama doon? Paano naman siya magiging whistleblower? Noon lang namang naipit na siya, lumabas na siya at pumayag na siyang kumanta or magsalita, hindi whistleblower yun. Kaya huwag niyong ihiwalay, yung sinasabi ko na magkaroon ng whistleblower law. Nirereport agad ng pinipilit na maisama yung balak na masamang gawain.

Q: How about yung kay Joey?

Sen. Gordon: Yung kay Joey, malinaw. Umupo siya sa Kempinsky, yun lang pwesto na iyon, iyon lang kahit wag na iyong iba. (See executive summary for details of this part)

Q: Di daw malinaw violation ni GMA?

Sen. Gordon: Culpable violation of the Constitution. Kaya yung Ombudsman, lahat ng impeachable offices, pwede niyang imbestigahan. Pero yung report niya, ang maghuhusga doon House, hindi siya, sa Presidente.

Q: Kaya pa ba ang impeachment? Is there still time?

Sen. Gordon: Theoretically. kaya pa.

Q: E kung magmatigas ulit ang Ombudsman?

Sen. Gordon: Are we that helpless? Hindi ba sinabi ko doon sa nakaraan, have we forgotten yung sinabi ko last time na she should resign? Di ba sinabi ko, one of my recommendations is an amendment na dapat ihalal na ang Ombudsman after the Supreme Court nominates three people to the position na walang kampanyahan, ipapakita lang ang kanilang curriculum vitae sa tao at iboboto ng tao. Yung just na talaga. Pangit na kaklase ng asawa ng Presidente ang nilagay diyan. Papaano siya magiging unbiased? Obviously, may pressure.

Q: Ano ang bearing noon kung ganoon ulit ang Ombudsman?

Sen. Gordon: Dapat matuto tayo sa mga darating na panahon na either mag-rally tayo at sabihin sa Ombudsman - resign. We made that happen with Presidents Erap and Marcos. If we feel so strongly about it, then mag-rally tayo. Disbar her, you can disbar her.

Q: Si FG kasama din sa anti-graft kahit private citizen siya?

Sen. Gordon: Kasama siya. Kasama siya sa anti-graft, pwede. Pwede siya kasi kasama iyan doon.

Q: Are you burning bridges with the administration?

Sen. Gordon: You keep asking me that question. I don't burn bridges. I think they are the ones who will burn the bridge. If they cannot accept something that is my duty, something that belongs to a co-equal branch of government, then they are the ones burning the bridge. As far as I am concerned, when I am invited by the President to a state dinner, I will go out of respect for the President. You heard me say yesterday, I am still very fond of the President. But I have a duty to perform. Does it mean na kapag ginawa ko ang duty ko, magkaaway na tayo? Hindi ko naman sinabing guilty ka na e. Ang sinabi ko, humarap kayo at magpaliwanag kayo sa taong bayan, sa husgado. Kung hindi, lahat ng piskal, kaaway nila lahat ng fa-file-an ng kaso.

Q: Role ng ZTE?

Sen. Gordon: Ang ayaw ko sa ZTE, the government of China should not have recommended only one corporation because that does not fulfill the test of transparency. There is no competitiveness. Dapat ang gobyerno naman natin hindi papayag doon. Dapat several Chinese corporations or at least may kasosyong Filipino corporation para matuto tayo ng technology transfer.

Q: Was it made clear that the money being used by Abalos came from ZTE?

Sen. Gordon: The very fact that there was constant lobbying by Abalos and de Venecia to ZTE, Abalos demanding money, according to the testimony of de Venecia (see other details in Executive Summary), who, if the Ombudsman chooses, can be a state witness against Abalos, shows na talagang nagla-lobby for commissions. Malinaw naman e. Hindi naman ako ang nag-convict sa kanila e. They convicted themselves. Saan nahuhuli ang isda? Sa bibig. (Quotes testimonies) Sino ba ang nagsabi niyan, ako ba o siya? Siya. Ginamit ko lang ang mga sinabi nila. Kaya kami nagtagal dahil lahat ng sinabi nila ginamit ko, yung sinabi ni Presidente, etc.

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